Here’s what’s causing you the post-holiday blues and how you can fix them

Break time is over and real life is beckoning. Are you feeling a sense of dread? Are you suffering from the post-holiday blues? We’ll let you in on a badly kept secret: it’s not that unusual to feel a dip in your mood; a survey put the number of people affected by post-vacation anxiety at 39 per cent! So, here’re some FAQs on how to get yourself back on track.

Why am I sad?

“Post-holiday blues…may also be caused by a sense of loss of the positive aspects of a holiday e.g. time with family or loved ones, novelty, excitement, relaxation. One can be refreshed after a holiday, but it depends on whether you were able to make time for activities that re-energise you and if you had sufficient time to de-compress from daily life,” adds Aamnah Husain,Counseling Psychologist at the German Neuroscience Center.

What are the factors that may account for me being affected?

■ Psychological background and personality: Do you suffer from anxiety or depression? If yes, you may feel it more deeply.

■ Environmental factors: “[If you] are faced with challenging life conditions or face environmental factors that cause loneliness, stress, feelings of guilt or sadness, you may be more affected by post-holiday blues,” says Dr Husain. Cash concerns may also be getting you down.

■ Duration: “If the vacation is too long, then the adaptability, or the adjustment, will be a little difficult,” says Dr Jihene. And, says Dr Husain, “If your holiday has been very hectic and there isn’t much time to re-adjust to everyday life, that may also lower your mood.”

■ Being judgmental about your difficulty with adjusting back to regular life could cause additional issues.

■ Are you satisfied by your real life? It may be a signal that you need to change things in your life. […]

At what point do I need to worry?

If you feel the same sense of sadness after a week – look within for the real reason. If the low moods persist – go see a professional who can help you make sense of things. “If your feelings of low mood persist for months, you lack energy and motivation for things you previously enjoyed, there are significant changes in sleep or appetite, continuing feelings of sadness, irritability and isolation, have a sense of hopelessness and difficulty focusing and concentrating on daily tasks, experience fatigue or thoughts about self-harm, you may be depressed,” says Dr Husain. […]